Area 30 Robotics Club takes 2nd, 3rd in first competition

Courtesy photo The Area 30 Robotics Club took second in autonomous maze and third in hockey at its first competition of the 2017-18 school year. In blue (from left) is the hockey team: Marcus Burdine (NPHS), Robbie Froderman (GHS), Kaleb Warner (NPHS) and Jakob Canellas (CHS). Not pictured is the maze team: Lainey Willis (NPHS) and Dustin Zeh (EHS). The Robotics Club’s next competition will be Dec. 2 from 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Area 30 Career Center on 1 N. Calbert Way in Greencastle. Spectators welcome.

Assistant Director Chad Nunley announced during the Area 30 Governing Board’s recent regular meeting that the Area 30 Robotics Club had taken second and third place at its first competition of the 2017-18 school year.

Taking second place in the autonomous maze competition were Lainey Willis (of North Putnam High School) and Dustin Zeh (of Eminence High School). To compete, the students built and programed their robot to traverse a maze without human intervention.

Taking third in the hockey competition were Jakob Canellas (of Cloverdale High School), Robbie Froderman (Greencastle High School), Kaleb Warner and Marcus Burdine (both of NPHS). The team built two robots that were set against an opposing school’s robots in a full-contact hockey field using double-elimination scoring.

The team’s next competition will be Dec. 2 from 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Area 30 Career Center. Proceeds from the available concessions will go to the Robotics Club and the Area 30 Super Mileage Club. Spectators are welcome.

Established in 2012, this is the team’s sixth year of competition, and last year the team placed second and third overall in the championship.

For more information about the Area 30 Robotics Club, visit its website at area30.learning.powerschool.com/rhinners/area30roboticsclub/cms_page/view.

In other developments:

-- Claims: The board approved claims at a total of $195,625.49.

-- Personnel: The board approved the hiring of Marla Farris as part-time career specialist. The position is funded by a grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation and the CTE Performance Grant.

The Area 30 Governing Board’s next regular meeting will be Dec. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Area 30 Career Center, 1 N. Calbert Way in Greencastle.